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Over twenty local miners have been reportedly arrested in the afternoon hours of Friday December 22nd, 2023 around the operational areas of the Leone Rock Metal Group in Tonkolili District, Northern Sierra Leone.
A joint team of the Sierra Leone Police and the Republic of Sierra Leone Arm Forces, a source said stormed the mining site around the operational area of the company and arrested several local miners.
The miners arrested are all from the relocated communities of Ferengbeia, Wondugu, and Foria. According to residents, they were relocated to the new settlement with no provision of some basic facilities like water and lands to do their agricultural activities. To fend for themselves, the villagers reportedly went to the mining sites to engage in small scale mining.
When contacted to ascertain the authenticity of the story, the Leone Rock Metal Group Community Affairs Manager confirmed the arrest to be true, but he said the action was meant to protect the local miners.
Robert Salia Kamara said the arrest was done by the Sierra Leone Police and the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces .
The arrest, Salia said was in the best interest of the locals as the Company is blasting around the Concession areas adding that they have engaged members of the affected communities to stay away from the area for their safety.
In recent times, he said they learnt that the local miners are still going to the prohibited areas to do mining.
“The company would be held responsible should there be any danger to any of those locals engaging in mining around the concession areas,” Salia noted.
Those arrested, he said would be released and strictly warned. The perpetrators were confirmed to have been moved to the Magburaka Police Station.
Are there any provisions for arrested, so that they leave the area and find better thing to do because call themselves land and chief owners are not truthful to their people all they knows is about their selfish interest. May God Almighty help this country.
The plight of the youths in the relocated communities is a tragic consequence of the actions taken by the company that displaced them. These communities have lost their vital lands for agriculture and access to other natural resources, disrupting their way of life and livelihoods.
Instead of addressing the legitimate concerns and needs of these communities at their new dwelling places, the company has chosen to ignore their pleas and dismiss their cries for help. This indifference has left the relocated communities to suffer in devastating conditions, struggling to survive in a new environment without the resources they once relied upon.
In an attempt to make ends meet, some desperate youths have turned to gold mining as a means of supporting themselves and their families. However, instead of understanding the dire circumstances these individuals are faced with, the company has taken extreme measures to crack down on their activities. The company’s order to arrest and detain these young people is not only unacceptable but also unjustifiable.
It is clear that these arrests are nothing more than a ploy to further exploit the already devastating conditions these communities are facing. By removing these youths from their homes and detaining them, the company only exacerbates the suffering and despair that these individuals and their families are forced to endure.
The displaced communities have long been ignored and neglected by the company, their voices silenced and their needs disregarded. It is high time for the company to rethink its actions and take responsibility for the consequences of its decisions. These youths, who are merely striving to survive in the face of adversity, deserve support and assistance, not punishment.
The plight of the youths in the relocated communities is a stark reminder of the struggles faced by marginalized communities, victimized by the interests of companies. It is essential that we stand in solidarity with these communities, advocating for their rights, and demanding justice for their unjust treatment. The future of these youths and their communities depends on it.